Detecting derivatized amino acids by gc/ms

[esloomis]

Hi. I am trying to detect derivatized (using Methoxamine HCL and MSTFA) amino acids by gc/ms (5975/7890 Agilent).

I am running splitless with a fairly long oven ramp (about 50 min total from 70C to 310C). It is a method designed to see lots of different things fairly well. I am derivatizing sugars (glucose, etc) by the same technique and can see them quite well at the same concentrations. If anyone might have any suggestions, I would appreciate it.

Thanks

[trozen]

Trimethylsilylation is not a method of choice for amino acids. Most of them are very hard to derivatize, and some - are not possible at all.. You may want to use MTBSTFA derivatization to get TBDMS esters or switch to alkoxycarbonylation (alkyl chloroformates)..